A few days ago I was playing golf (OK, so missionaries aren't supposed to be playing golf...but from time to time I do.) and, as usual, I hooked up with some people I didn't know. That's my usual pattern since I don't have a regular group that I play with. That, by the way, is pretty interesting. I have played with people from Canada, Korea, England, various Latin American countries, Switzerland, and some others I don't remember.
Anyway...back to my story. Now guys don't usually chit-chat a lot on the golf course. Mitzi always asks about the people I play with..."Where are they from? What are they doing here? Are they married?" I used to just say, "I don't know. We played golf." However, lately, I've tried to be a little more inquisitive...partly so I have something to tell her, and partly just to be a little more cordial.
Ok...now I'm really going back to my story. This particular day I joined two nice Costa Rican guys. The conversation turned to "What do you do here?" I told them I was a missionary, and one, with an excited look on his face exclaimed, "Oh. God is with us!"
I really didn't know what to say. Was he being facetious? Was he making a joke? Or did he really believe that being in the presence of a missionary meant that in some unusual way, God was present?
I don't know the answer to that question, but one thing I do know is that God is no more present when a "clergy" type is around than He is otherwise. Often, when people (especially golfers) learn what I do, they begin to apologize for their language (often in advance). My usual reply is that it's not me they have to worry about, and God is around all the time.
If I play golf, it's usually on either Tuesday or Wednesday. Most of the people I have played with on Wednesday say they play every Wednesday...funny though. I was just relating to Mitzi that I never seem to see them a second time. Now, I'm not that bad a player...hmmm. Wonder if they just don't want to play with God around.
